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Text Scrivener Blooms cracked his back with a grimace, back in his half-pony, half-Wyrm form as he stood with the others in front of a scenic, two-floor cottage, muttering: "You're all a lot heavier than you look." "Shut up, Scrivy." Twilight said absently, and then she paused for a moment to gaze along the wooden paneling of the rounded structure, smiling a little and adding in a softer voice: "But you two really went to great lengths making this for Fluttershy and... I'm glad. The pens in the back, the big front yard, the beautiful... everything..." She shook her head, then smiled and reached up to knock twice on the door as Luna smiled radiantly and Celestia laughed quietly, before the winged unicorn leaned towards her sister and said kindly: "See? And I designed this cottage myself! Aye, the Nibelung built it, but it goes to prove that I can do much more than just destroy." "I never said you could not, sister." Celestia replied gently, and Luna grumbled a bit and nudged her sister firmly with her shoulder, the ivory pony sighing a little, but then nudging Luna back as she added dryly: "I do wish you had sent the Nightmares away sooner, though... and that you wouldn't tease them so much. They are known for biting the hoof that feeds them if they get the chance." "I'll make them eat my hoof if they try that." Luna grumbled, and Celestia shook her head but smiled despite herself before the four looked up as the door swung open, revealing a grinning Rainbow Dash. "Thou art not Fluttershy. Nor art thou my daughter." "Yeah, good thing, too." Rainbow replied mildly, and then he winced and leapt nimbly backwards when Luna swung a hoof at him before he called easily over his shoulder: "Hey, Scarlet Sage, your parents are here with your uh... other aunts!" Celestia blushed a bit at being referred to this way, and then she smiled radiantly when Luna nodded firmly, grinning a bit despite herself at the Pegasus. "Thou art not entirely an idiot after all, Rainbow Dash." "Not entirely." Rainbow agreed as he stepped to the side to let them walk into wide front hall, and Luna imperiously turned through an archway and stepped into a spacious den: the furniture had been pushed aside to give more room to the group of ponies that looked up at Luna's approach, and Scarlet Sage smiled warmly as she bounced towards her mother with Apple Bloom on one side and Sweetie Belle on the other. Luna grinned down at the foals, looking oddly pleased as her eyes roved over them and then up towards where Fluttershy was seated on the floor with a warm smile, several open coloring books around her as well as boxes of crayons and blank paper. Applejack and Rarity were both sitting back on the couch, and Spike was standing behind this, almost squeezed up against the wall as he beamed happily over at them, calling warmly: "Hey, Twilight, hey guys!" "Well, don't we all seem in a merry mood?" Luna said warmly, and she gazed down at the foals before asking curiously: "But where is Scootaloo? As I recall, she too is a member of thy merry little band." "She left with her parents a little while ago, we're gonna meet up with her again tomorrow." Apple Bloom replied warmly, and then she whistled as Scrivener strode into the room, adding with a grin: "Y'know, Scrivy, I ain't never seen nopony beat Big Mac before at hoof-wrestling." "Yeah, well, my claw still hurts." Scrivener said dryly, raising his right forelimb and twiddling this, and Apple Bloom laughed as he smiled at her. "Your brother and your sister are some of the strongest ponies I've ever met. And I guess Rainbow's pretty impressive, too." "I totally am." Rainbow declared with a grin, nudging Scrivener as he passed and headed towards the couch to flop down between Rarity and Applejack, the unicorn wincing and almost spilling a cup of tea she was lifting towards her lips before she glared at him, but he only winked at her as Applejack snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes. "What?" "Can I get anypony anything? I have lots of tea, and some other snacks and such..." Fluttershy spoke up courteously, and then she smiled as Twilight approached and sat down beside her, gazing affectionately towards the violet pony before she added softly, as her eyes roved back towards Luna: "And this cottage is so perfect, again... I can't thank you enough." "Yeah, it's even got a guest bedroom upstairs and stuff, and Rarity and Applejack said me and Sweetie could stay here tonight, so maybe you guys can let Scarlet Sage stay over too so we can have a sleepover?" Applebloom rambled, and then the three foals all looked up at Luna at once, making her rear back slightly as Celestia smiled with entertainment at her sister. "Please, please, please?" "Oh... very well, foals, if Fluttershy is alright with it. I shall be by in the morning to pick thee up though, Scarlet Sage, to spend the day with thee tomorrow." Luna said kindly, and Scarlet Sage nodded happily before Luna strode across the room towards one of the large windows, gazing out curiously as a shape flitted by before she caught the distinct glow of a Phooka's eyes near the edge of the forest. "Well, what wildlife we have here." Celestia approached the window as well, and Fluttershy blushed a bit before she asked quietly: "Princess... I mean, Queen Celestia, is there anything..." "No, no. Just Celestia is fine... and I think we're all alright for now." Celestia replied softly, and then she asked curiously: "How have you all been? I know it must have taken some adjusting to over these days, and with what happened at the celebration..." Fluttershy blushed a bit as she shook her head, replying quietly: "Everypony was really afraid, but I know that once I was able to get back here... home... I felt a lot better, and I was able to think again... about how lucky I was. How we've all got such a second chance here, even if the world is different." Rarity nodded slowly, and then Applejack said quietly, glancing towards Luna: "But those things wanderin' around Ponyville... they ain't exactly natural. I mean, those Phooka aren't really going to bed down here every night for instance, right?" Luna frowned slightly, tilting her head a bit, but Fluttershy quickly shook her own and added with a blush: "Oh, I don't mind at all... I know they're supposed to be... unpleasant... but I tried feeding them a little earlier-" "Fluttershy, you shouldn't encourage 'em, we should get rid of 'em. I mean, look at the foals here, Phooka are supposed to lure foals away or... well, you know." Applejack looked pointedly at the blonde Pegasus, who only blushed a bit in response. "What'd you feed them?" Rainbow asked curiously, and Applejack gave him a surly look, which made the Pegasus wince and hold up his front hooves. "Hey, it's a valid question! Besides, Fluttershy, that was kinda gutsy, going out there to give food to some... demon... thingies." "They're not demons, they're... somewhere between mischief spirit and animal." Scrivener corrected, and Rainbow rolled his eyes and mimed talking with one hoof, but the half-pony only gave him a flat look in response. Fluttershy nodded a bit, however, saying gently: "But that's why I think I wasn't so scared of them. It was just like feeding any of the other scary animals, after... the world went dark back in... old Equestria." She halted, looking around the room at the memories mentioning this brought up, the ponies all visibly shifting before she hurriedly continued: "I'm sorry, I... I just mean to say that... they're not bad to have around. They liked the milk and blueberries, even if they weren't fond of much else." "I think it's fine, as long as they don't try to give you gifts like Opalescence used to try and give me." Rarity shivered a bit at this thought, then sipped at her tea before she smiled faintly, murmuring: "We've all lost so much. But gained so much too, have we not? Luna, darling... thank you for everything. And I want to say you have my vote of confidence, no matter what goes on." "Yeah... yeah." Applejack didn't sound entirely convinced, however, studying Luna and Celestia for a few moments before her eyes roved to Scrivener Blooms, inscrutable but dark. Then she shook her head quickly and instead smiled at Apple Bloom, saying kindly: "You and your friends should probably get on off to bed, though. Y'all have had a big day today and got another one tomorrow, after all." "I'll go and tuck the foals in." Fluttershy volunteered even as the foals whined and groaned, and Luna smiled over at her before she glanced at Scrivener, who nodded as they traded thoughts and emotions back and forth. But the fillies said their goodnights, traded hugs with their parents and parent-figures, and went with little fuss before Fluttershy smiled as Scrivener joined her, heading back to the hall and towards the steps to take them upstairs, leaving the other ponies in silence for a few moments. As a door quietly closed somewhere upstairs, the quiet was finally broken as Applejack asked quietly: "About the zebras... Luna, you didn't really leave Zecora high and dry, did you?" Luna grimaced at this as Celestia looked at her quietly, and the black-coated winged unicorn sighed as she stood up and paced moodily across the room. "A very wicked part of me wishes that I had, fair Applejack. But nay. I gave her the time requested, I did all in my power. Aye, I could have waited for the signal amplifiers, but 'twould have been months, perhaps years more of waiting. In the space of that time, who knows what could have happened? "'Tis not that I do not understand her outrage, but all the same, she sows dissent at a time when I know that I am... vulnerable." Luna muttered, dropping her head forwards and looking disgusted... and beneath that, anxious. "I mean, thou sees me now, and my husband! I appear more and more like Nightmare Moon, and he like a Tyrant Wyrm... oh, there is no denying that he is a Tyrant Wyrm. And aye, we have made allies with the darkness, but it was either allegiance with their kind or war; and believe my words when I say they would have wasted little time in immediately exploiting the ponies as a new food source, and there is no way I could be all over Equestria all at once to fight all these threats whilst the ponies are all... disoriented." She halted, then reared her head back, mane twisting and flowing around her as she shook her head slowly. "Do not fear, I have Equestria's best interests at heart... but 'twill be a different Equestria than that which thou all came from. Yet it must be, for the old Equestria..." "Change happens, that is all: it's evolution, not degradation." Celestia said softly, and all eyes turned to her as she smiled a little. "I'll say what I have been saying from the start: I believe in my sister. I believe in you, Luna, and that you know what you're doing. And I'm here to support that." "Yes, well, do not treat me like a ruler, Celestia. That is thine job, not mine." Luna grumbled, looking ruffled, and Celestia laughed and shook her head slowly before the dark-coated winged unicorn straightened nodded briskly once. "I shall attend to Zecora's problems in time." "Perhaps Celestia and I could go tomorrow to see how they're doing... I know you're angry at her right now, and if the other zebras feel the same way, well, you walking into wherever they must be camped would be a little..." Twilight broke off, and Luna sighed a bit, but then nodded grudgingly, and Twilight straightened with a smile. "Good. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Spike... what about you four?" "I do like the sound of that. Maybe we can get Pinkie Pie to come with us too, get her away from that nasty piece of work Pinkamena. I don't got no idea where she dragged her off to, though." Applejack grimaced a bit as Rainbow shuddered a little, the goldenrod mare shaking her head slowly. "She sure is a strange one too. I sometimes wonder if she remembers anything we shared at all." "She does, Applejack, worry not." Luna said softly, smiling a little, and then she glanced over at Scrivener and Fluttershy as they entered back into room, asking curiously: "The foals have been put to sleep, then?" "We put them in bed. Or well, they're in the room, at least." Scrivener replied mildly, and Fluttershy smiled and nodded as she headed through the den towards another archway leading into the kitchen beyond. "But they're foals, Luna. They're just like you: you tell them to do something, they pretend to listen, and the moment you're gone go back to doing whatever they please." "Then 'tis no wonder I am so fond of them." Luna said thoughtfully before she met Scrivener's eyes, and memories, thoughts, and emotions passed between them before he smiled and nodded in agreement. Fluttershy returned a few moments later with a cup of tea for herself, and she sat back on the floor next to Twilight, smiling a bit at the fact the violet winged unicorn had already gone about the process of cleaning up the coloring books and crayons. Then she smiled curiously as the violet pony asked: "We're going to see if we can find Zecora and the other zebras tomorrow, and offer some help to them... do you want to come along too?" "Well... maybe, Twilight. It would be nice to see if we could help Zecora after everything she's done for us and Ponyville." Fluttershy replied softly, nodding after a moment before she asked curiously: "But how long will we be gone?" Twilight shrugged and glanced towards Celestia and Luna, who traded a look before Luna said thoughtfully: "Zecora is not to be underestimated, but I know that even if infuriated, she would not waste time and energy to cross a great distance to scold me and deride me as she did. Perhaps at least part of her tribe is close... I would suggest beginning at Zecora's hut, which is not that deep within the Everfree Forest. 'Twill most certainly at least be some clue there." The others nodded slowly, and then Celestia said thoughtfully: "But we should put in preparations for a longer journey all the same... at least enough to spend one, two nights in the wild. Especially because if we do truly want to help, we can't show up expecting them to feed and take care of us: it will only add insult to the injury they have already suffered." Applejack grunted, looking thoughtfully around at the others before she asked curiously: "Should we take a wagon, then? That'd let us carry more than enough to stay over for as long as we'd need." "Yes, but we may be traveling through the forest or over rough terrain, and the wagon won't survive that journey with ease." Celestia answered, shaking her head with a smile. "I can enchant some simple saddlebags tonight, and they should more than suffice. We can leave tomorrow before noon." The others nodded as Luna looked quietly at Celestia, and Celestia turned her eyes to her, the two seeming to communicate as clearly as Luna and Scrivener could... and then the older sibling smiled a little, saying softly: "Don't be jealous, now, my sister. You can't have every adventure... let me have one little quest of my own before I'm pushed back into the role of Equestria's ruler." "Speaking of which, Spike and I were talking to some of the Nibelung earlier and we heard a very interesting rumor." Rarity piped up, and all eyes turned to her as the white unicorn smiled warmly, flicking her corkscrewed mane back and asking Luna curiously: "Is it true that there were plans to set up different territories, with different rulers, across Equestria?" Luna cleared her throat at this, and Celestia cocked her head curiously as the dark-coated winged unicorn fidgeted embarrassedly before she glanced awkwardly towards her sister. "'Twas... honestly, more a security measure than anything else. I did not know how any of thee would awaken... had we used the amplifiers and our original plans, 'twas likely none of thee would have possessed many memories of the past when thou came to. Separated baronies would have been smaller, self-enclosed in some ways but working with each other, governed by barons and baronesses whom had already been chosen from our list of candidates. They would have been easier to protect, and the risk of them corrupting into war-states or miniature kingdoms was minimal because I am sure that within a few years, we would have found a way to either begin returning thy memories to thee or... I would have come marching in myself, like to be seen as some mad prophetess until I pummeled the truth into each and every one of thee." Celestia sighed a little, but she smiled all the same as the ponies traded looks between themselves, before Twilight smiled a bit and said quietly: "I would much rather... have had that shock I did, and that temporary confusion and tiredness and pain, than come back... ignorant of everything I'd gone through. It might have hurt less but... I worry that it would have... made me different." "Imagine comin' back and not knowing who your friends were." Applejack said quietly, glancing towards Rainbow Dash, and he smiled a little in return as he reached out and locked a hoof with her, the two nodding slowly before the goldenrod mare tipped her hat towards Luna, saying softly: "I guess we owe you another vote of thanks for that, too, then." "I think some of our most important memories might be the ones from the very end... I'm so glad that..." Rarity halted, then she smiled over her shoulder at Spike as the dragon reached forwards and squeezed her shoulder gently. "Well, Applejack said it best already." "And here I thought I was uncouth." Applejack smiled despite herself over at Rarity, who laughed a bit at this remark before the two turned their eyes to Luna, who only shuffled awkwardly on the spot before she grunted and nodded to the ponies. Her sister nudged her after a moment as Scrivener Blooms smiled amusedly at the female, and then he laughed despite himself, wrapping a forelimb around her when she buried her face against his neck and mumbled half-clearly: "I am... only glad all of thee approve and it worked out. I know I still have much to prove, much to do, and much to make up for... but I swear to each and every one of thee, I shall." Fluttershy smiled softly in response to this, replying gently as the other ponies gazed at Luna: "No, I think we're the ones who owe you now, Luna... because you've done more than save us. You've given us back our homes, built a world for us, made sure all of us, all of our friends could be together... we owe you." Luna smiled softly at this thought, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards as she blushed a bit, comfortably settled against her husband's strong frame, and then she opened her eyes and said kindly: "Then let us lose track of debts and only continue to work as hard as we can for one-another's sake. But know, my friends, I am always there for everything any of thee shall ever need. Thou art important to me, every one of thee." And she smiled again around at them all, looking affectionately over these ponies, her ponies, her friends, as they gazed back at the dark-coated winged unicorn and the Tyrant Wyrm that had helped restore their world and promised to protect them in the deep and glorious night. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story